i read the initial posts on here when they were first put up. i chose not to respond. it wasn't a matter of ambivalence. it was a matter of finding it difficult to participate in a conversation built on so many vast generalizations.
the united states it, without question, a racist nation. this nation was built with the blood of bigotry as fuel. it fought wars over states rights (namely the right to practice slavery), and to this day, battles over desegregation are fought in this nation's most liberal bastion (see: san francisco schools).
however, when a conversation on racism barters in notions such as "american's think such and such...," or "people in the u.s. think this...," or "in europe, people are much more like...," and
"europeans are more enlightened because...."
yes, i know they're generalizations and, perhaps, not intended to be taken literally. but when one is having a discussion on racism, of all things, there is little room for generalizations, for generalizations are one of the motivators of ignorance, and thus perpetuate racism.
so, yes, america is a racist country with racist citizens and leaders. BUT, that is NOT the whole story. it is not helpful to pretend otherwise.
when examining american racism, it is incumbent upon each of us to consider the truth, both ugly and beautiful. more important, we must take the time and find the mental discipline to look at the infinite nuances in national, regional, and individual thought.
any statment that begins with "americans are..." is bound to be innacurate, if not a total falsehood.
whom are we describing? stom thurmond? bloomberg? toni morrison? paul welstone? a poster on the motherboards? (which one?) george w. bush? the guy at the corner deli? a citizen of los angeles? (which neighborhood? which house?) the deepest south? the islands of hawaii? and so on and so on...
are we talking about america today? twenty years ago? one hundred years ago?
are we talking about participants in the civil rights movement? whom? malcom x? martin luther king jr.? rabbi michael lerner? angela davis?
in america, at any point in history, there are examples of great thinkers, brave leaders, solo fighters for freedom.
and there are equivalent examples of violent racists, the mass of the silent and complicit, and those who vote their fears, instead of their ideals.
each individual must look deep into his or her heart and ask, "How do I suffer from, or benefit from racism, even in ways i do not intend?"
a white person who fights oppression may still unwittingly benefit from it on a trip to a shopping mall where a security guard shadows a black person instead.
despite that example, i'm aquainted with many white people who loudly claim to take no part in the racist patriacrchy. i believe that no one benefits from denying this nuanced truth.
i know white people who decry their genetic makeup. "i hate being white," i heard one claim. what good does this do anyone? said person is white. denying it not only benefits no one, but it excused that person from having to participate in his flawed society and take responsibility for who he is, and the mistakes of those around him. (only adherents of ayn rand would suggest the each-for-himself philosophy.)
as for europe, a same complex analysis must be done. was it not sinead o'connor who sang only a few years back about "black boys on mopeds..." england brought margaret thatcher to the world stage. the french bring jean marie le pen to the world stage every few years. that man can keep company with the worst of the world's racist. europe has participated in some overwhelmingly destructive genocides. the polish continue to practice widespread bigotry. italy and spain did the facist and racist thing. france, beligum, england, ireland, germany and more all host a variety of neo-nazi organizations, and said countries newspapers are all dotted with accounts of racist killings -- this year!
and europeans, like their american counterparts, have trod the road toward true enlightenment.
we must battle demons wherever they dwell; and they live everywhere (e.g african, europe, asia [see: pol pot, mao and wwII japan, for starter], north american and south america.
we must also shine the light upon our human strengths wherever they are.
as we proceed, we must resist the temptation to rely upon gross generalizations and crude rhetoric to make our point. to do so may put our forces into a fenzy, but in the end, history has also put all such movements into the garbage bin of brutality.
america is racist. so is europe. and both are flush with individuals who will give their lives to change it all for the better.
let's keep the whole picture in mind and we'll serve humanity much better.